


Torn Between Worlds

by MysteriousFigure



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Blood, Dimension Travel, Exalt!Owain, Identity Reveal, Major character deaths but they happen off-screen, Post Revelations route, Tags will update as fic does!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:00:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 13,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22069654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysteriousFigure/pseuds/MysteriousFigure
Summary: Owain has seen a lot in his relatively short life, but nothing could have prepared him for his Father coming to take him homeAnd for why he came in the first place
Comments: 70
Kudos: 136





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while if I wrote anything Fates related (or played Fates for that matter) !  
> Any comments are appreciated!

Odin had seen a lot of strange things ever since he came to Nohr. He had seen a lot of strange things before coming there too. He wasn’t surprised when a strange blast of magical energy burst throughout the castle, he wasn’t even surprised when reports came in that the magical energy had dropped a person in the middle of the castle. He was curious, sure, but he wasn’t shocked with disbelief and confusion. It was pretty much expected when it was reported that this mysterious person was apprehended and that King Xander had asked Leo to be the one to take care of questioning, and it was also very expected when Leo had asked Odin and Niles to accompany him down to the dungeons. There was no telling if this stranger could be dangerous after all.

Not many things surprised Odin anymore, but just seeing who Lord Leo was going to question down in the dungeons probably surprised Odin more than anything else in the world, possible or impossible, could. 

Even in the dark of the dungeons it wasn’t hard to make out the silhouette of his father. 

Lon’qu sat cross-legged on the dungeon floor. The long draping around his legs of his familiar myrmidon’s splayed out in a circle around him. He looked up. His gaze still as piercing as ever as he spared a glance to examine Niles before his critical eyes drifted over Leo to stare into Odin’s soul. While Odin could make thoughts that could be conveyed in simple sentences into paragraphs of prose, his father could speak multitudes without opening his mouth. It had been a while since Lon’qu had given his son a look with that much intensity and meaning behind it and Odin found himself squirm a bit under it. After another second passed Lon’qu turned his attention to Leo, once more to examine and appraise. 

“Strange,” Leo remarked. “You don’t look like a mage.” Leo’s posture was straight. His aura commanding. His gaze was turned to Lon’qu looking for weakness, looking for answers to the questions that were no doubt tumbling around in his mind. 

“I’m not,” Lon’qu replied with curt, straightforward words. His voice was exactly how Odin remembered it. Even after all these years. Leo waited for a few seconds to see if Lon’qu would elaborate at all. 

“So someone sent you?,” Leo continued to question. Leo received a slight grunt of affirmation in return. Leo scrunched up his face in displeasure. “So who sent you? What do you want?” Lon’qu raised his head slightly, seemingly appreciating the way that Leo didn’t mince words. 

“Simple. I want to leave.” Lon’qu stood and walked over to stand in front of Odin. Odin was surprised to see how little height difference there was between them. That was accentuated by the fact that they both were nearly a head taller than Leo and Niles. There hadn’t been much of a difference in height between them during the war against Grima either, but Odin had always thought of his Father as an almost a larger than life figure, He had always felt small standing next to him and he could feel himself shrink under his father’s gaze. Luckily Odin knew that his father had pushed him and worked him hard because he had wanted him to be the best he could be. Not out of cruelty. Still he couldn’t help but feel wary under Lon’qu’s fiery, dark eyes. “And you’re coming with me.,” Lon’qu stated firmly. Odin’s face paled and he suddenly felt very much like a kid who was caught by his parents doing something he shouldn’t be. He guessed, in a way, he was. Immediately Leo pushed Odin back and stepped in between the two of them.

“I don’t know who you think you are,” Leo growled. “But you can’t expect to warp in here and take one of my retainers away without explanation. Odin has sworn himself to me and I intend to keep him here.” Lon’qu chuckled briefly, which could be seen as full out hysterical laughter from him. 

“Odin?,” Lon’qu threw the name out in the air nonchalantly. Raising his right hand in almost a gesture of dismissal, he took a few steps back. With ease and a flutter of blue fabric, he sat on the floor again. “Looks like your questions are not mine to answer. I wouldn’t bet that they’re not solely his-,” he jerked his head in Odin’s direction. “-either.” Leo looked exasperated. Niles looked fascinated (with a hint of contempt aimed at Lon’qu), Odin looked like a ghost. They left the dungeons together. 

After escorting Leo back to Xander’s office. Odin darted off, running around like a madman. He needed to find Laslow and Selena. Luckily for him he didn’t have to search for too long because they were currently sparring each other in the training grounds. He put his hands on his knees, catching his breath after his frantic running. 

“My beloved compatriots and friends! I’m afraid something has happened! The gravity of which is so great it has shaken me to my very core! It is as though it pierces me in the deepest recesses of my soul.” He paused to breathe in again. “It also concerns you two as well. Powerful, God-like magic has brought an emissary of our past here and I am beside myself with overwhelming emotions and mayhaps unfounded distress.” Laslow and Selena had stood silently and listened as words tumbled out of Odin’s mouth like a waterfall tumbles off a cliff. They’re brows were furrowed in concern at the obvious distress of their friend and maybe also a bit in concentration as they attempted to decipher what he said. 

Laslow, always the more gentle of the two, came and stood beside Odin, wrapping one of his arms around Odin’s back. The other patted his upper arm in a soothing gesture. 

“An emissary from the past?,” Laslow said in a gentle tone. “People from Ylisse aren’t exactly...common here. Are you sure it wasn’t your imagination?”

Oh how Odin wished it could just be an overactive figment of his overly creative and dramatic mind, but there was no mistake in the way his father walked, the way he sat, the sharp line of his jaw, the way he delivered terse words, the way he spoke to him without having to open his mouth. The words he spoke to him had been terrible. 

His father’s eyes had always been sharp. His gaze cool and scrutinizing. But when he had looked at Odin from the cell...the look he gave him was soft and affectionate (not too unusual. His father did love him) , but it had also been troubled, sad, apologetic. 

Odin had always seen himself as a spare in regards to his lineage. Uncle Chrom was one of the mightiest warriors he knew of and Lucina was truly a chosen hero. Both of them would fill (and have filled) the role of Exalt masterfully. His mother was a wonderful person and kindness was her way. The people loved her, even if there were some disquieted rumors about her legitimacy due to her lack of the Mark of the Exalt. He realized there was still a chance she couldn’t truly fill the role if it came to it because of that. His mother never wanted the throne anyways. In that case it would fall to him to become exalt if the children of the saved Ylisse weren’t old enough to take up the role themselves at that point. 

Something terrible must have happened. 

It had come time for Owain to fulfill his duties as Prince of Ylisse.

Why else would his father come for him, and him alone?

Odin’s body shook as tears started to fall from his eyes.

“Odin,” Selena’s voice, though still no-nonsense, held a softer edge than they usually did. “What happened?” Her careful expression morphed into a wince. It was as if she was embarrassed of something she hasn’t said yet. “In-,” she hesitated. “-In normal words, please.” Odin nodded as he gathered the will to speak. 

“My father- Lon’qu is here.” Laslow and Selena gasped. Odin sobbed. “And he’s come to take me home.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Man! Three Houses is so great! I want to write more fics for it!  
> Also Me: But what if... I wrote fates fanfic instead  
> Also Me: And make it.... Multichapter :)


	2. Chapter 2

The dungeons were cold, Lon’qu had decided. To most, he was sure it would be uncomfortable, meant to break the spirit. Feroxi was full of harsh winters and stone fortresses. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine he was back home. He sighed, but it sounded more like a huff or even a scoff. Feroxi hadn’t been his home in a long while. Not since tragedy struck Ylisse and he and his family had to return to his wife’s homeland. 

A new sensation made it’s way to his consciousness. One he couldn’t say he was too unfamiliar with, though he never welcomed it at anytime. The cool steel of a dagger pressed against his windpipe. It could be a warning, a threat, this person’s strange way of greeting people, all of the above. You never knew at first, but considering where he was he leaned on the side of ‘threat’. 

“You weren’t feeling very chatty with Milord earlier.,” a silky voice purred in his ear. Lon’qu stopped himself from flinching away. He wouldn’t be doing himself any favors if he cut himself on the knife. Lon’qu could only assume that it was the white-haired man that was with Owain- correction: Odin- earlier. The man’s arm circled around him and was pinning his arms to his sides. “Maybe if you had answered his questions when he asked them you would be home free by now.” He chuckled darkly. “Too bad you’re stuck with me know. I can be  _ too much to handle _ for some people.” The arm tightened and the knife pressed closer to his neck, not enough to break skin, but enough so he could feel the change. “Now you’re going to answer my questions. Do you understand?,” The man said through gritted teeth. “What do you want with Odin?” He had said it slowly, enunciating each word so there was no way Lon’qu could mishear the question. 

“I want to take him back with me,” Lon’qu answered truthfully.

“That’s not an answer!,” the man spat.

“Maybe not the one you wanted.,” Lon’qu retorted. The man sighed.

“I suppose you’re right. The real question should be why? Sure Odin is a skilled mage and easy on the eyes, but what you could possibly have to gain by taking him is beyond me,” he crooned. “Care to enlighten me?” His voice was sultry, with the same timbre one might use during one’s pillow talk. However, that combined with the rough dungeon floors, cool steel at his neck, and Lon’qu’s general dislike of people left him unsettled. 

“If Odin cared for you to be enlightened, he would have told you already.” In a swift movement the blade left his neck and instead plunged into his thigh. Lon’qu hissed in pain and looked down to assess the damage. The man had stuck it deep and toward the outside of his leg. So it was just to cause pain then. To make him talk. 

“Quit skirting around my questions!” The grip tightened further. His voice was dark. “And let me tell you this now because you seem to be to thick to figure this out on your own! The less you talk the more I’ll hurt you until you are nothing more than a pitiful pile of writhing flesh on the ground. Now let’s try this once more. Why do you want him?"

“I’d like to know why you’re so concerned,” Lon’qu said. If this was the company Owain had been keeping for the past six years, you could safely say he was more than a little concerned. The man twisted the knife. Lon’qu had to bite back a howl in pain.   
  


“It’s okay,” The man whispered in his ear. “You can scream.”

Lon’qu was deciding how to respond to that when the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor, followed by the flicker of firelight. There on the other side of the cell bars was his son. He was different. That was expected, but he didn’t realize just how different he would be. The fireball Owain held in his hand illuminated his form. He was dressed in honestly ridiculous dark mage garb, but he still carried himself tall, even if Lon’qu could see the way his fingers tapped the side of his leg (back in Ylisse he’d be tapping the pommel of his sword) when he was nervous. Besides that, Owain’s hair had become a buttery blonde hue. Other changes were there, but there was still no doubt that it was still Owain. Even if he had changed with the years a little. Something inside him had surged with pride to see how he had grown even if it was an alternate version of him that had raised him. 

Owain’s features, which had been schooled into a pretty neutral expression, fell. 

“Niles!,” he said in shock. Lon’qu felt the man shift slightly, presumably to get a better look of outside the cell. 

“What? I’m kind of in the middle of something,” Niles responded as if there was nothing out of the ordinary. Odin gaped. “Please,” slight disbelief wormed it’s way into Niles’ tone. “This is hardly the worst thing you’ve caught me doing.” Odin took a deep breath in and then let it out in a soft puff. Everything about his body language said something akin to ‘How could this day get any worse?’ 

“Niles, my dear, adumbral companion,” he paused to pull the keys off his belt and open the cell door. “Take that dagger out of him right now.” Niles barked out a laugh. 

“Well, well,” Niles drawled. “You broke out of that flowery way of speaking! Nice to know you’ll still be able to get out some words between shouting my na-”

“Knife. Out.” Odin’s eyes and tone had turned steely. “Now.” Niles sighed. 

“Very well.” Niles pulled the knife out and immediately started knitting together the healing wound with his own magic reserves. It would be more powerful with a staff but it didn’t really make too much of a difference when it was a minor (if not deep) flesh wound. “Just so you know I was just starting to get some answers out of him.”

“My dark cohort, if you had truly disillusioned yourself into the belief that you were near uncovering this man’s relevant mysteries, than I fear you have greatly underestimated this man’s steadfastness!” Niles shook his head in response, slightly put out now that Odin had switched on his trademark theatrics again. Instead, he focused on putting his magic into Lon’qu’s leg.

“Thanks,” Lon’qu grumbled once his leg was fully healed. He visibly and deliberately put some distance between him and Niles. 

“Both of you. Come with me,” Odin said as he started to take a couple of steps out of the cell. 

“What’s going on?,” Niles questioned. Odin turned to them, his expression turning a bit sheepish when he looked at Niles. 

“Laslow, Selena, and I have gathered the royals and our fellow retainers. We have some explaining to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I probably had too much fun writing Niles.  
> Thank you for the lovely comments and kudos!! <3


	3. Chapter 3

The truth sounded unbelievable at the best of times. He didn’t really know where to begin. Standing around the large table in what used to be the war room were their lieges and coworkers. Odin also liked to think of them as his friends and he also liked to think they thought of him as one as well. 

The royals all congregated at one end of the table with Xander at the head. Across the vast expanse of dark stained wood that made up the table top stood Odin, Selena, Laslow, and Lon’qu. All eyes were on them. Laslow looked about ready to combust with all the attention that was being placed on him. 

Earlier that day, after Odin fell sobbing into Laslow and Selena’s arms, they had decided it was finally time to come clean… well mostly.

  
  


_ In the training grounds, after Odin had calmed down a bit, he had decided to talk to his two closest friends about telling the royals about the truth of their origins. _

_ “Inigo, Severa,” he had addressed them, their names sounded strange and somewhat thick on his tongue. “Though several long and harrowing years we have lived as Odin, Laslow, and Selena. Even though our appearances have been concealed masterfully by Anakos, I feel it is safe for me to surmise that we have not been living a lie for a long time now.” Odin took a deep, heavy breath in before continuing. “During the war I made a promise. It harms my very soul knowing that I am not going to be able to keep that promise. Prince Leo told me I could go home with his blessing as long as I would always remain his retainer. When we explain our strange origins I- I wish to keep the status of my exalted blood a secret.”  _

_ “Just a second!,” snapped Selena. “I thought we decided to give them the truth.” The glare she was giving Odin intensified. He shrunk a bit under it. “The  _ full _ truth.”  _

_ “I cannot keep the title of Leo’s retainer while I’m in Ylisse. Not in public anyways.” _

_ “I won’t say a word,” Laslow firmly promised. “Selena?” _

_ “Ugh, fine!,” she huffed. “But your going to be the one to come up with an excuse on why you have to go home!” _ _   
  
_

Back in the present, royals and retainers waited with baited breath to receive answers they had stopped looking for for years. Selena took a deep breath before speaking. 

“What happened to us and why we’re in Nohr is a long story, but for my own sanity, I’m going to condense it somewhat. And before you say  _ anything _ you better let us finish.” The trio had chosen her to start off. She was by all accounts the most grounded and level-headed of the three. If any of them could get the royals to believe a ridiculous story, it’d be her. 

So she told the story of some lost kids surviving the end of the world than traveling back to change the future. Selena willed her voice to be firm and concise. It only wavered when she described the death of her parents. Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes throughout the telling, but she never let them fall. She told it with only occasional interjections from Odin and Laslow. 

Apprehension, confusion, fear, pity, and shock all came off of their friends in waves. They didn’t say anything, but halfway through the trio’s story, Camilla came up and hugged her retainer from behind. 

It must have taken an hour or more to tell the story in its entirety.

After all that was needed to be said has been said, Lon'qu walked over and placed his hands on Laslow and Selena's shoulders.

"Write letters to your families." Once the nods and the quiet 'of courses' were given in return, Lon'qu focused his attention on Odin. "We have a lot to talk about."

Odin didn't say anything. He simply lead Lon’qu out of the room. He could already hear the chorus of his friends coming from the room now behind them. He guessed that the Nohrians must have gotten over their initial shock. He walked at a brisk pace. Lon’qu followed only a couple steps behind him.   
  
His feet had lead him to his room. This would do for a private place he guessed. He opened the door.

“Please. Come in.” Under normal circumstances he would have ‘bid his companion to enter his domain’ but dread weighed heavily on his spirit. The room was decently sized and private. Two things that couldn’t be said about most sleeping quarters in the castle. Books were stacked neatly on the book shelf with only a few odds and ends he collected over the years found themselves on the desk or in the mantle of the fireplace. Living in the apocalypse taught him to keep only what was necessary (even if he had been ever so slowly allowing himself to have some things just because he liked them. Most of the books followed this new allowance). After all, you never knew when you had to run. 

Lon’qu had already settled himself in the desk chair.

  
“You’re going to want to sit down for this.” Odin followed his father’s advice and sat down on the edge of his bed. “Owain, you’ve always been very smart, even if others don’t see it so I’m sure-” there was a slight hitch in Lon’qu’s breath. It’s not a sound Odin could say he’s heard often. “-I’m sure you already have an idea as to why I’m here.”   
  
“You need me to be the Exalt. Don’t you?” Lon’qu nodded. “So Lucina and Uncle Chrom are they…?” Another nod from Lon’qu somehow even stiffer and infinitely more remorseful.    
  
“They’re dead. I’m sorry.” Odin let his tears fall. He cried near silently the only sound escaping him was the occasional sniffle. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand every so often. In this moment father and son didn’t say anything, content to mourn in silence for the moment. Eventually Lon’qu crossed over to the bed and embraced his son. “We’ll leave in the morning.” In a rare show of physical affection he kissed his son’s brow while continuing the embrace, knowing Odin’s worst fears have come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of trouble figuring out how to write this one. Hope you enjoyed what I came up with!


	4. Chapter 4

There was no question to Odin to how he and his father were meant to make the return trip. Long after his tears were spent and after falling into an uneasy sleep, Odin crossed the room to the bookshelf and pulled out a small, inconspicuous wooden box that had been tucked between a few of his lesser used tomes. Cracking open the lid he looked at something he hadn’t given much, if any, thought to in years. A shimmering blue orb sat snugly at the bottom of the box. He pulled it out and held it between two fingers, watching the magic within it swirl and glisten in the moonlight that fell from the window. His bag had already been packed with the scant few belongings that he wanted to keep with him when he returned to Ylisse. Some might say the bag was depressingly light for ten years of life spent in Nohr, but for the part of Odin that was still the scared child who had lived through the end of the world it was more than enough. 

There came a knock at his door. He gently set the orb back in it’s box and went to answer it. 

Laslow and Selena stood outside his door. Odin drew his eyebrows together in confusion, they usually didn’t knock, all their concerns with propriety toward each other was lost long ago. Nonetheless, he let them in. Selena made her way to the bed and sat at the edge while Laslow opted to awkwardly by the fireplace.    
  
“So…,” Selena said breaking the silence. Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it cut through the still air. “Lon’qu told us what happened. He didn’t tell us a lot.”   
  
“Your Father’s never been one for talking, eh Owain?,” Laslow’s voice was strained even as he tried to inject his usual mirth into it. Laslow’s eyes fixated on the floor in front of him, but they were unfocused. The silence that settled in the room enveloped them like a warm blanket and ever so slowly they all made their way to the bed. All curled into each other like they used to…  _ before _ .

Morning came too soon. Odin gave his friends a hug, knowing this would be the last time he would see them for who knows how long. He did know he would see them again. Thinking otherwise was too painful for him. He had always hated goodbyes. Perhaps that’s why he didn’t seek out Leo or Niles before departing. 

Dressed in the more conservative clothes Odin had stashed at the back of his closet he gathered up his bag and found Lon’qu in the halls of the palace. He placed his hand on his son’s shoulder and with only a moment of hesitation, Odin crushed the orb.

They were consumed by a feeling that was like floating and falling all at once. It was like they fell into a lake and were sinking lower as their limbs rose up. Then, all at once, the feeling was gone. Instead of the cool gray stone of Castle Krakenburg, they stood under a bright blue sky with wispy clouds lazily drifting across it. In the distance were the outer walls of Yisstol Proper, standing in all their glory. The walls colored in a light tannish-red color that was both familiar and strange. Besides the change in scenery, Odin could feel the change in himself. He never noticed how magic gripped to him until it was washed away. It made him feel strangely vulnerable. His father’s hand was a comforting weight on his shoulder. It grounded him in reality. 

“Owain,” came his father’s gruff voice. “Let’s get going.” Odin dumbly nods. They pass through the city gates with no trouble and suddenly it’s like Odin was taken back in time once more. The smells of baked goods and spice filled the air in an almost overwhelming aroma. The city streets and market stalls were awash with color. He had seen Ylisse even more vibrant during festivals, but after so much time in Nohr it was almost too much. The atmosphere was slightly subdued but life always marched on. Vendors still shouted, promoting their wares, children laughed and played punctuated by a dog bark or two.

As they headed more towards the center of it all, the castle ever growing closer in the distance, a grand display caught Odin’s eye. Flowers of every color and type piled high around a large stone. Odin knew that the stone was just a placeholder for something that would be built in the future, but for now it acted as a place for people to pay their respects, to grieve for their lost Exalt and Princess of the future. He pried his eyes away from it. A hand at his back nudged him to move along. He hadn’t even realized he had stopped. 

The closer they got to the castle, the more heads turned towards them. Sometimes it was accompanied by frantic whispers. Sometimes by slack jaws. Whatever the case, it wasn’t helping Odin feel more comfortable in his own skin. They crossed the palace gates with a flurry of bows and one young soldier running ahead, most likely to announce their arrival. 

The palace was as he remembered it from when he was a child. All soaring ceilings and gilded arches. The decor as light and bright as the rest of Yisstol. 

“Father!,” a young voice echoed from somewhere down the hall. Odin looked up from his feet only to see a child fling his arms around Lon’qu. “You’ve returned from your glorious quest!”

Oh.

_ Oh.  _

He knew his younger self existed. He had held him shortly after he was born. That didn’t erase the surreal feeling that overtook him as soon as he laid eyes on this younger Owain. He was so small. Odin found it hard to imagine he was ever this young, but the proof that he was currently held onto his father. Naga, he couldn’t be more than eleven. After Lon’qu gave him a soft smile and a few reassuring pats on the back, this young Owain looked up and  _ stared _ .

Odin fidgeted under his gaze. There was something unsettling at being examined by the same eyes you saw in the mirror everyday. On the other hand the eleven-year-old Owain was practically vibrating in awe and excitement. 

“You’re… me?,” he asked. Odin responded simply by nodding. He hadn’t lived with his younger self like so many of his friends had. “That’s so COOL!” He was practically jumping up and down by this point, halfway running circles around him, trying to look at him from every angle. 

“Owain?,” Another young voice called out. And at the end of the hall was a girl with dark blue hair. A girl with the mark of the Exalt, but was still much too young to rule. Lucina’s eyes widened as she caught sight of Odin. Her pace picked up while walking, but she didn’t run. The look on her face was hesitant, but fascinated. The Lucina he knew was dead, yet she still lived on, in a very strange literal way. 

“Hello,” Odin said without his usual grandeur. He was too emotionally drained for that. “I’m the Owain from the future.” He paused, words escaping his grasp for a moment. “Having two Owain’s might be confusing don’t you think.” The two kids looked up at him and nodded. “Then how about you call me Odin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Found out this week that there's official art of Owain with blue hair and I'm-


	5. Chapter 5

Odin’s meeting with his young cousin and self (Should Odin call Owain his brother? He still wasn’t sure about that one.) regretfully only lasted a short while before he was once again being urged through familiar halls by his father. It had been so long since he had seen them that he almost felt as if he were in a dream. Memories lingered in the lit corridors and shadowed corners. Some making him smile at nostalgia and others making him swear he could taste ash in the air and smell burnt flesh.

Cutting through the rancid memories were the soft patter of footsteps behind him. To be fair to his family, Lucina and Owain put a good effort into trying not to be spotted, but neither of them were trained for stealth. Young royals are largely raised to be ostentatious, to command a room, to own whatever space they were placed in. Besides, Odin would have been a truly dreadful partner to Niles if he couldn’t even detect when he was being followed (often by Niles himself). A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Odin could tell that his father had noticed them as well, but didn’t make a move to stop them from following either. Lon’qu just continued to lead Odin deeper into the castle. They came to a familiar set of double doors. They were painted white. Swirling gold details creeped up the edges Opening them up, they swung into a sprawling library, centuries old. Tall windows allow ample light into the space, even if some of it was obscured by rows and rows of bookcases. His mother sat at one of the tables spread across the room. Fredrick stood stalwartly behind her chair. I tea service had been brought to her and she was currently sipping from a china teacup. A stack of thick books were pushed off to the side. Lissa looked older than she had when Odin had left, that was to be expected. She still looked like her, but there was something about her that made her look more elegant, more mature. He would say she looked well, if it weren’t for the deep bags under her eyes and the slightly mournful expression she wore. 

The library doors sweep open silently but close with a dull  _ thud _ . It was the thud that caught Lissa’s attention. Her eyes widened, then her face broke into the largest, brightest, ear-to-ear smile Odin has ever seen. She practically leapt into his arms. 

“Owain!,” she greeted gleefully, her arms tightly wound around his midsection. Odin returned the hug.    
  
“Hello Mother,” he greeted wistfully. Lissa released the hug first in favor of pointing a scolding finger at Odin.

“Just why did you think you could disappear like that. You didn’t even leave a note! We were so worried!” Odin tried to ignore the guilty feeling welling up inside him as he spotted the tears pricking the corners of his Mother’s eyes. 

“A regular apology cannot express the deep regret I hold for leaving without a word, however, I do not regret going.,” Odin stated solemnly. His mother threw her arms around him once more. Odin could feel her shuddering breaths against his chest and raised his hand to gently pat her back. After a few more quiet moments, his mother let go. She wiped a few lingering tears from her eyes, but she seemed to have collected herself. 

“I guess what’s important is that you’re alive, and that you’re here now.” she stood on her tip-toes and gave Odin a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for coming back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I took so long! As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Don't be afraid to comment down below! I love knowing what you thought! i will admit, this chapter is kind of filler, but I'm looking forward to writing the coronation, followed by a little dark magic, with a little look at what the crew in Nhor is doing in the next couple of chapters ;)


	6. Chapter 6

If there was one thing that didn’t change with time, countries, or even dimensions was that coronations were always a big production. He remembered Xander’s and he remembered Ryoma’s when he accompanied Leo as his retainer. 

This past week had been a flurry of activity. Besides the reunions between him and the Shepherds, the castle had been drowning in all sorts of people pooling together their respective crafts to make sure the coronation and the following feast was a rousing success. Odin was caught up in the rushing tide. Carried from one place to another so quickly, that sometimes the guards that were just supposed to be “subtly” in the background had a hard time keeping up with him. The feast would be nice and all, but Odin already found himself growing tired of the decorum expected of him. That, however did not mean he was going to play the part he was given to the best of his ability. 

Soon enough, the day of the coronation had arrived. He was there when Lucina got crowned Exalt of the broken Ylisse. Needless to say that coronation was a lot more humble than the one he was about to take part in.    
  
He knelt upon a dais, on display for everyone to see. The head dress he wore was gold and circular. It was so heavy that it had to rest partially on his shoulders. But the effect almost looked as if the sun was rising behind him. He was wreathed in a pale yellow cloak reminiscent of star shine, but it was wrapped in such a way that his left arm was exposed, so that anyone who came near could see his mark. And the people would come near. Some would gaze at him with awe like he was some holy thing, others in scrutiny. But most if not all came to the dais and placed a kiss of fealty upon his brand. 

He remembered Lucina’s coronation. Instead of royal robes, she was wreathed in ash. She kneeled on the charred ground and one by one the few survivors came and kissed her closed eyelid or her temples. She cried all the while. It was then he caught sight of the young Lucina. She stood off to the side, half-cloaked by shadows, watching with fascination. Someday, it would be her on this dais, celebrated by the people, but for now, it was Odin’s job to make sure she would see a coronation as grand as this one without the weight of a broken world resting on her shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally back on writing this! I can be such a sporadic updater. Whoops. Thanks for reading and for all the lovely comments you have given me!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, back at the ranch- I mean Nohr

Leo was treating the day like any other. By almost all accounts it was. The cloudy day was showcased by the large windows at one end of his study. At his desk there were piles of manuscripts and tomes he was researching. Niles lounged in an armchair near the fireplace. It wouldn’t be lit until the evening. However it was quiet. 

Leo never minded silence; he preferred it actually. But this silence was empty. Leo and Niles both were waiting for the sound of excited footsteps followed by a brisk knock before entering. Odin would enter, practically skipping as he gleefully reported to Leo. Lacing his exploits in near incomprehensible dramatism. Odin would join them in the study. Taking the other armchair most days. His bright clothes and demeanor stuck out like a sore thumb among the dark Nohrian decor. 

Leo kept glancing at the clock as if he had sent Odin out on a mission and Odin was later than expected. He had caught Niles doing the same once or twice. When Leo had first met Odin he had wanted him gone, but now, it almost startled Leo how much the silence bothered him.

Odin was with his family. He  _ should  _ be happy for him, but all he wanted was for Odin to return.    
  
“You look like you want to kill the clock, Milord,” Niles piped up. The silence was broken. For now. Leo pried his eyes away and fixed them instead on his retainer and best friend. Leo sighs heavily. 

“Niles I just-” He sighs again and pinches the bridge of his nose. The teasing look on Niles’ face droops into something more sympathetic.    
  
“I miss him too. He was one of the very,  _ very  _ few people I trusted and considered my friend.” A lull of stiff quiet filled the air for a few moments. “Do you think he’ll come back?”

“I don’t know,” Leo spoke quietly. Without any warning he slammed his fist into his desk. The loud  _ thud _ echoes in the quiet room. “Dammit! I don’t know,” An uncharacteristic waver entered his voice. “He didn’t even properly say goodbye.” Niles got up from his seat by the fireplace and walked over to stand by his liege. He hesitantly placed a hand on the prince’s shoulder, hoping he could provide some meager comfort.    
  
“I can’t say I know much about whatever happened at Odin’s home that made him leave,” he spoke in the most soothing, reassuring voice he could muster. “But I do know that it must have been huge for him to run off like that.” Leo relaxed slightly. “One night, as we were returning from a mission, Castle Krakenburg came into view. Odin said how glad he was to be home. Well he less said it and more turned it into a sprawling epic.” Niles chuckled softly. 

“Anyways, I asked him something along the lines of ‘Isn’t your home far from Nohr?’ and he said the place he grew up was, and he’d always hold it close to his heart, but he said Nohr is where he belongs. It’s where he  _ feels _ at home.”

“But he left,”Leo said, not quite convinced. 

“Yes he did, but didn’t you tell me when I first became your retainer that I'd have a home here at the castle? What did you tell me when I asked what home was?”   
  
“I said home is a place where you can always come back to.”   
  
“Odin will be back. I don’t know when, but he’s the type to come home. Don’t you think?”   
  
“You’re right. But I do want to know what happened to make him leave like he did. Look into it,” Leo ordered. A wry grin spread on Niles’ face. The prince had a spark in his eyes once more. 

“Of course, Milord.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I case you haven't noticed, I really suck at staying consistent with personal projects. But I'm back now! Hope you all enjoyed!


	8. Chapter 8

It was raining in Ylisse. The people were tucked away in their homes, wary of the shift in weather. Some were upset it would slow business down for the day, others were thankful that it watered their crops and flowers and the world would look all the more beautiful when the sun decided to shine again. At the palace, courtiers, servants, and knights alike rested by the fireplaces inside, doing their best to while away the time. 

All except one.

Odin was taking a walk in the gardens. The rain fell on his head and shoulders. The familiarity of it was comforting. A small smile graced his lips and he breathed in the cool, damp air. It was overcast nearly everyday in Nohr. Rain was common even if the land was still rough and barren. 

The rain, the sound of rolling and distant thunder, the dark, almost oppressive clouds. All of it was beautiful to Odin. 

He rounded a corner in the hedges, a simple destination in mind. A wall at the edge of the gardens. It was tall and looming, an excellent defense, but today it was his escape route. He’d only be gone for a little while and back before anyone truly missed him. He found the near imperceptible dents and spots where ivy strongly coiled onto the walls surface and began to climb. He wasn’t even a quarter of the way up before a voice called out to him. 

“Cousin?” It was barely heard over the rain but Lucina's voice managed to bring a smile to Odin’s face. “What are you doing?” It was strange. Hearing this younger version of the powerful woman he knew, but it didn’t make him doubt for a second that this Luci would be any less than the one he had grown up with.    
  
He jumped down from the wall, still low enough that it wasn’t an issue simply to let go, and turned to look at Lucina. She was bundled up in a cloak, the hood drawn up, but he could still see her face and traces of her dark blue hair peeking out from underneath. 

“Dear cousin!,” He says with grandiosity, if not a little quieter than what he used to allow himself. “I am on a mighty quest one that will spirit me away past the palace walls to a destination of myth and legend!” He dramatically sweeps the surrounding area with his gaze before leaning in conspiratorially. “The mightiest journeys are never done alone. Lucina, would you do me the honor of being my grand accomplice?” 

She takes a moment to think, but quickly nods her head. The already wide grin on Odin’s face spreads wider as he turns around and crouches down. “Get on,” he invites. Lucina scrambles to do so and carefully as not to choke him, wraps her arms around his neck. “Hold on,” Odin instructs as he makes his way back to the wall. Slowly he starts to climb it. It was going to be tough originally, but it’s even harder with a kid on your back. His progress is slow, but he eventually makes it up and over the wall. They drop down on the other side, outside the gates. He lets Lucina off his back. Once on the ground she reaches for his hand. He takes it and sends another smile to his young cousin. 

She sends a small one back. “Where to now?,” She asks, determination shining bright in her eyes.    
  
“The town square is void of people when the sky weeps so. That is our destination.” They walked without talking for a while. The pitter-patter of the rain filling the silence between them. 

The monument is grand. It was built as close to the town center as possible. A beautiful tribute to the dead royal family. Reverently carved from marble and granite, it almost seemed to exude power. Lucina, the older one, held her Falchion upright, parallel to where Chrom held his. They faced each other, their eyes closed as if in prayer. The rest of their family flanked them, their weapons also drawn. It gave the impression that Ylisse would be forever safe with their noble spirits to watch over them. 

Odin looked sadly up at the monument and took a seat at it’s base, not caring how soaked his pants would get. The young Luci stood transfixed. Eyes shimmering with what could be a mixture of awe and tears. She slowly made her way over to Odin and wrapped her arms tightly around him in a hug which he wasted no time returning. 

Odin didn’t envy Luci one bit. To him the pain of death, while no less potent, was one he was intimately familiar with. This was Luci’s first time experiencing something like this. He wanted to make sure she would never have to feel something like this again. He’d do his best in his position as Exalt to make sure of it. 

But for now he’d mourn like he couldn’t under the watchful eyes of the people and take comfort in the rain. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It makes me so glad that you guys have been enjoying this little thing I've been putting together <3


	9. Chapter 9

Niles walked through the forests of Nohr, a very specific destination in mind. The forest was dark, as it always was, but it wasn’t oppressive. Niles felt at home in the shadows of the branches. He almost felt one with the chilled breeze that drifted through the air. Tangible, yet unnoticed. Drifting through the trees calmly and cooly.

Ugh. Was he really near falling into soliloquy without Odin to do it near constantly for him? 

He shook his head slightly in an action to clear it. It was no matter. The destination was drawing closer, evident by the soft blue glow that was barely beginning to permeate the trees. He wasn’t going to get anything from Laslow and Selena. That was for sure. It seemed that all they were willing to give was spilled at that meeting that was held right before Odin left. If you could trust that trio to be tight-lipped about their own lives, they were even more so with the lives of their other two friends. 

Thus, the trip to the Dragon’s Gate. Niles had been there one or twice with Corrin during the war, yet he never saw himself returning. The portals there were somewhat random, and you did have to bribe Anna with the promise of good money, but the portals led to different places, some cases, different times. A few alternate realities and worlds too if he was remembering correctly. 

Niles, for all his other faults, never forgot a name, face, or place. He didn’t forget that the name of the country he was looking for was called Ylisse. He wasn’t looking forward to potentially wandering blindly around a country he hadn’t known existed, but he wasn’t sure if he had any other options. 

The dragon’s gate swirled with a powerful blue energy. Niles, despite his very limited relationship with magic, felt drawn to it like a moth to flame. It was almost too easy to forget about the innocuous red-headed merchant camped out in front of it. Somehow, Anna knew how to direct the energy of the dragon’s gate. Even though her skills were limited, you needed her help if you didn’t want to be tossed about like a leaf in a storm, completely at the gate’s mercy.

“Oh! A customer!,” Anna chirped cheerily. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m looking for a specific place.” Niles crossed his arms across his chest. “Ylisse.” 

A look of confusion briefly crossed Anna’s face. “Ylisse...Ylisse,” she mumbled to herself, rolling the name of the country on her tongue. She stood in front of the dragon’s gate and stared into it’s swirling depths. Suddenly she snapped her fingers then pivoted on her heel to face Niles. 

“The Dragon’s Gate has opened to Ylisse before. I might just be able to get you there again,” she confirmed. “Though I can’t control exactly where you’ll land,” she added.   
“That’s acceptable,” Niles said, keeping his voice even. In reality his heart beat in his chest, the excitement of finding a way. Of simply nearing the completion of a mission was a stark change for Niles, though he would never let it affect the air he put on for others. 

A guileless-looking, but undeniably greedy smile spread across Anna’s face like melting butter. 

“Excellent! I can get you on your way, but first, I’m going to need a payment of fifty thousand gold!”

Niles raised an eyebrow at the mention of the number. “I didn’t expect you to be the type to cruelly rob a half-blind man.”

“Knowledge on how to control the Dragon’s gate isn’t easily found,” Anna defends. “Ensuring that my customers get safely through the other side is even harder.” A customer service smile settles on her face like a mask once again. “Fifty thousand,” she repeats. 

“Twenty-five,” Niles counters. Anna almost sneers at that. 

“I didn’t take you as the kind to cruelly rob an innocent woman,” she gently mocks. 

“I have and would do it again without second thought if needed.” 

A beat of silence.

“Forty-five,” Anna falters.

“Thirty.”

“Forty.”

“Thirty-five.”

“Thirty-seven?”

“Thirty-seven.” 

They shook hands on it. Niles then started to carefully count out the gold in a worn pouch and passed it over to Anna. She nearly snatched it out of his hands. 

“Pleasure doing business with you!,” She bid him farewell. 

Niles looked at the Dragon’s gate. The raw energy of it almost made him instinctively cowl before it, but Niles rejected those impulses. Instead he steeled himself, straightened his shoulders, and walked smoothly through the gate. 

He fell on the ground with a thud. Gods it was so bright. The sky was clear, wide, and so, so blue. Instead of the grimy overcast of Nohr, a few puffy, cotton-like clouds drifted lazily across the vast blue. The grass he had landed in was lush and green. He certainly wasn’t home anymore.

Flicking his half-squinted gaze across the bright landscape, he noticed several things. The wide open field, the little yellow wildflowers swaying gently in the warm breeze, and two children. Though looking at them a bit longer, he corrected the mental profile of them to be young teens. They looked at him intensely. 

The one standing a bit nearer to him was a girl with long blue locks framing her face. The other. Niles' breath caught in his throat. The other could have been some younger doppelganger of Odin. Whether this kid was a brother, cousin, a completely incidental look-alike, or was Odin, Niles wasn’t sure. 

What he was sure of was that there was someone behind him, and that the tip of a lance was dangerously close to his throat.


	10. Chapter 10

“Who are you and what is your purpose?,” The man holding the lance questioned in a deep voice? Looking out of his peripheral vision, Niles could just make out the appearance of the one at the other end of the gleaming silver lance. He was a tall man. His broad shoulders and chest were covered in blue armor. His eyes were as grey and as sharp as the silver of the lance. His gaze appraised Niles. The man’s lips were quirked downwards in a neutral scowl. 

It didn’t take a genius to figure that this man was a knight. And a skilled one at that. Nile could tell it in the way he held himself. Unwavering, confident. Niles have no doubt the knight would kill him if he decided Niles was a danger. So Niles raised his hands in a gesture of complacency. At the very least to show the knight that he didn’t have any weapons on him (well, none that the knight could see anyways) besides the quiver of arrows on his back. 

“I mean you no harm,” Niles said. “I’m just a traveler looking for an old friend of mine. If you could tell me where I am and maybe point me to the nearest town, I’d be quite thankful.” 

From whatever town he traveled to he could start his search. It was leagues easier to blend into a crowd when you didn’t suddenly drop in on them from a magic portal. The knight’s gaze grew more suspicious as his eyes narrowed. 

“Let me be blunt,” the knight said. “I don’t trust you. You appeared out of a portal of unknown origins, claiming you don’t know where you are. Besides that, the purpose you stated is vague at best. Tell me. What is the name of this “friend?”” 

“I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t trust me either, but you deserve the truth of my friend’s name at least.” Niles exhaled audibly. He wasn’t sure if the truth would sound better to this man. “His name is Odin Dark. Well, it was. He could have changed it by now.” Niles knew that answer probably didn’t give him much credibility. Most reasons people have to change their names in Niles’s experience were always because they didn’t want the deeds of the past catching up to them. 

Niles didn’t notice how the two young teens visibly brightened in excitement as soon as he mentioned Odin’s name. He was more occupied with the blade at his neck. 

“Frederick,” the girl addressed. “I think you can let him go.” Niles looked over and saw a soft smile on the girl’s face and a (very familiar-looking) excitement emanating from the boy. The presence of the lance eased away. Though Fredrick’s harsh, discerning gaze was still burning a hole through him. 

Owain could hardly contain his excitement. His brother Odin was a grand storyteller, and even though the myths and legends of old he recounted were awesome, it didn't stop Owain’s favorite stories from being the few times Odin would tell tales of his adventures in Nohr. 

They were a rare treat for Owain. Getting Odin to tell a story was easy, getting him to tell of Nohr was a bit harder. There were some days where you could tell Odin’s duties as exalt were weighing more heavily than usual on him. Owain didn’t like to see the dark purple bags under his eyes, but if Owain caught sight of them, he knew where Odin would be once he had the chance to get away. Tucked in the corner of the library was a large plush chair, sat opposite of a roaring fireplace. Tomes of great magic were tucked into the shelves. And though Owain couldn’t do anything special with the magic he knew resided within him, he could feel the magical energy buzz off the tomes in an almost soothing hum. Odin would sit in the chair and gaze into the fire, a million and one things bouncing around in his mind. Owain (sometimes with Lucina too!) would quietly enter the library and join Odin. 

Then, Odin would start talking. Unlike his other stories, these ones lacked most of the dramatic flair and flourish Odin would usually add by waving his arms and half-acting out whatever story he told. But these ones, he’d be quieter. The same majestic and vivid tapestry would be woven with his words, but his voice kept a low and soothing tone and Odin’s hands might be kept busy only by gently carding his fingers through Owain and Luci’s hair. Owain wasn’t ashamed to admit he was so calmed by the presence of his brother that he was almost lulled into a calm, peaceful sleep. 

Keyword: Almost. 

Owain wouldn’t allow himself to drift off until the story was done. How could he sleep until he knew how Odin and Niles completed another epic mission on behalf of Prince Leo? 

And now Niles (The Moonwraith Stargazer, The Piercing Bow, The Artful Thief and retainer alike, ect., ect.) was right in front of him! This was awesome! 

Owain could tell Lucina was excited too, but she always looked so calm! He’d almost be jealous, but people always said that Owain had enough enthusiasm for the two of them, so if he was more like Lucina there wouldn’t be enough. (Owain didn’t want to think about what would happen if there wasn’t enough. Something bad surely).

Owain bounced up and grabbed his arm, offering support and a blinding smile as the thief stood. As soon as he was up, Owain did not let go, instead, Lucina grabbed his other arm and the two excited royals started to lead him to Ylisstol proper. 

Frederick sighed in exasperation and dutifully followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for staying with me! It really boosts my mood 10000% whenever I see your lovely comments. I hope you have a lovely day!


	11. Chapter 11

Niles wondered what exactly he managed to stumble into. 

He was being pulled through the bustling city square by the blue-haired girl while the boy (they had enthusiastically introduced themselves as Lucina and Owain) practically ran circles around him, chattering away. 

“So you’ve never been to Ylisstol?,” The boy asked somewhere from his right side. “It’s not surprising if you haven’t really. But on the other hand, Ylisstol is so  _ huge _ . I can say that almost everyone who has ever been in Ylisse has been to Ylisstol at one point or another,” The kid continued to ramble on into his left ear now. “We can show you all around Ylisstol if you want later. There’s this bakery with  _ the best _ cakes! Strawberry cake is the best cake. What cakes do you-”

Niles tuned out of the rambling as best he could (which, to be fair, he was very good at). The girl turned to him, gave him a pleased smile, and continued to skip down the street. Niles swore he was the only one aware of the guards eyes fixed on his back. No doubt imagining how nice it would be if Niles was away from the knight’s two young charges (preferably with a couple of daggers in his back and six feet under the ground). 

Unexpectedly, a detail that caught Niles off guard was the crowds. They bustled and mingled amongst each other. Shopkeepers were selling wares and the sound of customers haggling prices lilted through the air. Children laughed and ran through the streets, each and every person moving around each other as if they were a fiber in a complex basket weave. 

None of this was strange. Even in Nohr. It felt familiar to Niles, even as the too bright sun freely shed it rays on everything in sight. 

No, what was strange was the way the crowd parted. It was the way they stared and whispered. And though it would be strange even if they all decided to single Niles out in a crowd, he noticed that none of the city folk bat an eye at the duplicitous figure in their midst. It seemed all their hushed conversations were about Lucina and Owain. 

As he thought of things that were strange and somewhat confusing, Niles turned his head to look at Owain. Seeing him, Niles could easily convince himself that this was a younger version of Odin. They were similar in many ways. Just the somewhat more childish mannerisms of Owain were replaced by the dramatic flair of Odin. Nile would have immediately jumped to the conclusion that the Dragon's gate dropped him off too far in the past if not for how quickly these kids took to him. 

It was as if they recognized him somehow. Niles wasn’t exactly someone kids ran up to on a day to day basis. In fact, he was more likely to be used as an example by worried mothers and fathers as exactly the kind of man their kids should  _ avoid _ . Niles was rolling this around in his head when he slightly tuned back into Owain’s chattering. 

“-you’ll love the castle. It can look big and scary from the outside, but it's also really  _ cool _ . I’m sure you could find all sorts of things while exploring there. I go exploring all the time. And you’ll get to see the Exalt in the throne room today. He’s been taking audiences. It’s getting close to dinnertime so he should be done soon and he can see you then!”

“Exalt?,” Niles asked. Niles was fully expecting Owain to answer, but was mildly surprised when Lucina spoke instead. 

“The Exalt is the leader of Ylisse and is of the Divine Dragon Naga’s chosen bloodline. My cousin is acting Exalt right now, but I’m supposed to take over in a couple of years.”

Niles lips parted slightly in surprise, but for Niles that was practically letting his jaw slam against the floor. 

“I-,” he floundered for an answer. “I see.” 

Niles thoughts were now consumed with how he was being dragged off to meet the Exalt. He wondered what kind of man the Exalt was. Surely he wouldn’t be happy with Niles being so close to the heir to the throne. Would he be thrown in the dungeons? Publicly flogged? Maybe he’d be immediately killed and everyone else would get on with their lives. 

Niles hardly noticed the majestic structure constructed of elegant spires he was being led towards. 

The guards at the gates bow respectfully to Lucina and Owain. Lucina returns their bows with a nod and a slight smile and Owain returns them with an enthusiastic wave. 

Niles walked tall. If he was going to die he would do so with some pride left, even if he was being led to his death by two very enthusiastic kids. 

The thought of mercy never really occurred to Niles, then again, it’s his job to always prepare for, but hopefully help his lord avoid, the worst case scenario. 

His heart started to pick up speed in his chest as he the small party approached tall, intricately designed doors, some sort of symbol (which to Niles looked vaguely like a raindrop being collected in a bowl) prominently featured front and center in the design. 

“Can we speak to cousin?,” Lucina asked one of the knights flanking the door. 

Instead of answering the knights simply opened the door. Niles moved his gaze downwards. He had no idea how one was supposed to interact with the Exalt, but he quickly decided that humility was never seen badly by royals. He walked into the room, head still dipped low in respect. 

From what Niles could see the throne room wasn’t all too different from the one back in Nohr. It was long and imposing. The throne was raised so the leader would literally be above all else in the room. He approached and once Niles thought he was close enough to be seen, he went down on one knee in supplication. He only slightly raised his gaze. His eyes locked onto the end of a flowing white cape and some well-fitted boots that looked like they had never seen more travel than from one end of this room to the other. The cape and boots shifted as the Exalt stood. Niles heard the sound of someone clearing their throat as if to begin speaking, but no one did. 

The silence was unbearable and stifling. Niles decided to take the reins. 

“Great Exalt,” he addressed. His voice sounded much calmer than he felt inside. “I am simply a traveler looking for a friend of mine. I crossed paths with your hier by chance and was brought here. I’m afraid I’m under the assumption that you could help me. Though I would not blame you if you decided not to stoop yourself to aid me.”

Another sound came from presumably the Exalt. Niles though it was a cough at first, but something was off. The sound came again. The strange little sound turned into a guffaw then quickly tumbled into unceremonious, uproarious laughter. Very  _ familiar  _ laughter. Niles snapped his gaze up. His eye widened. 

Wreathed in finery and wearing a sun-like crown was Odin. Niles almost couldn’t believe it, but the shine in his green eyes, his blinding smile, and his hearty laughter were unmistakable. 

“Seems like you have found the subject of your epic quest,” Odin teased. “And please, my friend-” Odin looked a bit more sheepish now. “-get up? There’s no need to bow to me.” 

Niles stood. He had to take it slow, for some reason his legs were shaking. He took a hesitant step forward, then another more confident one once he felt steady again. He took one step after another until he was right in front of the Exalt. Niles readily, but carefully as carefully as if touching Odin would break an illusion, wrapped his arms around his friend. 

“You’re alright,” he breathed out. Finally letting out a breath that he hadn’t been knowing he was holding in ever since Odin left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM! 
> 
> Another chapter done.
> 
> I was so excited to write this one! I hope you all enjoyed!!


	12. Chapter 12

Odin laughed bright and cheerily. He slowly pulled away from the embrace and examined Niles’s face for a few quiet moments before the laughter bubbled up again. He pulled Niles into another embrace, tighter this time. Odin’s smile was so wide it almost seemed as if the corners of his mouth would somehow break free from his cheeks. “That you desired to know after the well-being of my soul warms me to my very core!,” Odin declared, as sincere and ridiculous as ever. 

Niles took it all graciously. He had thought finding Odin would be infinitely more difficult. But here he was, right in front of him. Even if Niles did think it was strange that Odin’s hair changed color (though he did recall something about changed appearances mentioned in Laslow, Selena, and Odin’s story) and thought it even stranger that Odin was wrapped in more finery than King Xander might wear. Niles’s mind was still running a bit to catch up with that information. Vaguely, Niles registered the sensation of Odin’s arms falling away. 

“Niles?,” Odin’s voice came softly, but it was enough to tear Niles away from the cogs turning in his own brain. He trained his eye on Odin, perhaps truly examining his friend for the first time. Despite the lingering excitement from their reunion still lighting his face; the shadows still couldn’t hide. Odin looked older. Or as he doesn’t actually look too different from the time he had left Nohr, it might be more accurate to say he looked more weary, like he was close to wearing out. His worry lines were ever-so-slightly deeper, while the crow’s feet that were always at the corners of the smiling mage’s eyes were less pronounced. Those green eyes, which had always been sharper and more calculating than most expected given his usual mannerisms, were filled with a swirling storm of emotions Niles couldn't begin to describe. Whatever hid beneath that storm was something the archer didn’t like. 

“You’re alright,” Niles repeated those words that had slipped out of his mouth only a few minutes earlier. “You’re alright, aren’t you?”

“As well as I can be expected to be,” Some of that weariness edged into Odin’s voice. Niles was just about to press him further when he was cut off by Odin before he could even get a single syllable out. “Come Niles!,” Odin grabbed Niles’s arm and started pulling him out of the throne room. “You can tell me all about your epic journey over our daily sustenance!” Odin’s smile was blazing once more, but he couldn’t help but notice that it wasn’t quite as genuine as the one before. There was a certain artificiality to the smiles Odin wore when he knew he was putting on a show. Niles could see it, even if almost any other could not tell the difference. 

_ Odin must be worse off than he appears.  _

* * *

  
  


Something lurked within the shadows of Ylisse. It was human-shaped, but if any were to look for longer than a minute they were sure to call them a monster. For surely anyone would notice the smell of blood that follows in their wake like a fine perfume, or perhaps they would notice the story of the dozens of murders they committed that flashed constantly behind their eyes. But most noticeable was their rage. Their desire for vengeance. It rose like thick wafts of steam from the surface of their skin, hotter than the fires of hell itself. 

The human-turned-monster lurked in the alleyways in Ylisstol’s busy marketplace. The citizens smiled and laughed, all feeling protected by Naga. All feeling protected by their  _ precious Exalt _ . The monster spit on the ground, disgusted at the thought. They had thought they had already stated their desire for revenge against Naga’s brood. But, out of nowhere, a legitimate, of age heir was cleanly pulled out of the woodwork and installed in the place of his uncle. They should have planned for this eventuality really, but he had been unheard of for the better part of ten years. 

_ Exalt Owain…. _

They spit again. 

_ I promise you… _

_ On the death of my family... _

_ On what little honor I might have left… _

_ On Lord Grima… _

_ I will kill you. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shorter chapter! I just really wanted to get something out today and add a bit more plot (aw yeah)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Have a great day! 
> 
> I'm on twitter @is_surviving if you want to interact or just randomly scroll through my profile :)


	13. Chapter 13

The table was obscenely long. It was impossible to not have it be the first thing you noticed when entering the room. Though the large, silver, high-backed chair at it’s head was certainly a contender. Odin swept into the room and forgoed the ornate chair at the head of the table in favor of the only slightly humbler seat to the right of the head chair. He had sat Niles in an identical chair across from him. The much, much smaller width of the table made for much more comfortable conversation. It also kept any distance between them smaller. Something Niles was secretly thankful for.

Servants glided into the room and placed silver platters of food in front of them. It wasn’t a feat, but it was still a royal meal so the plate was filled with delicacies and prime cuts of meat all steaming and delectable smelling. Wine was poured in crystal goblets. The whole thing struck Niles as too ostentatious for Odin. Though you could argue that Odin’s usual mannerisms were a bit ostentatious, and that there was no doubt how much he boasted his skill and his supposedly chosen blood, Odin somehow managed to come off as unprideful. Niles remembered one time Prince Leo had offered him and Odin wine one summer night in Leo’s personal study. A crystal glass, not unlike the ones currently before them, was placed into Odin’s hand. He had immediately flushed and stumbled over his vocabulary to claim that it was too much. He didn’t deserve something so generous or so fine. 

“Is something wrong?”

Niles’ gaze snapped up to Odin. It seemed that he had gotten lost in his thoughts. Another strange thing. Those words were so  _ normal _ . It was practically unnerving. 

“Why aren’t you talking like a clown?,” Niles asked before he could think better of it. Odin winced slightly before his lips pulled into a smile. 

“Force of habit,” he said wearily. “The other nobility usually won’t take me seriously otherwise. And the few that might are also just as likely to see the child they once knew.” Odin’s expression brightened a bit. “But luckily for me I have my darkest cohort retired to me at last! Even if I did not expect to lay my cursed eyes on you for a few years hence.”

“ A few years?” Niles turned away, taking a moment as if orienting himself. He curled his lip in a half-snarl when he found he couldn’t. Schooling his expression he looked back at Odin. “ I travelled through the dragon's gate to get here. How long exactly has it been?” Back in Nohr it had only been about six months since Odin had left. 

Odin winced again before answering. “Nearly four years now. I could maybe come back to Nohr in the next two, but it might take longer besides.” 

“Maybe?”

“When I first ventured to Nohr I was given a great magical gift. One that when the sun should set on our journey, would give us the power to return to our beloved homeland. Alas, it only works one way. It burst after I was carried home on the wings of it’s magic. You are tethered to your correct time and place. The magic of the Dragon’s gate knows you belong there and will put you back where you came from to restore order the next time you step into it. I, on the other hand, have no guarantee. I should end up in Nohr, or I could end up in a grim and ruined world. I’d probably have to devise a way to travel back on my own.”

A chill passed over the room. It was not of fear or disappointment. No, even if those emotions were initially making their way into Niles as Odin talked at his slimmer chance of getting home, this chill was cutting, dangerous. It strangled those emotions out of Niles and replaced them with something different. A sort of hollow dread he had trouble describing. 

Odin leapt from his seat as if it burned him. 

“Dark magic. Someone is trying to push through the magical protection.”

Purple and black intermingled on a spot on the floor. It was small compared to other displays of magic that Niles had seen. It was also weak. The color of the magic flickering in and out, looking nearly transparent in some places. But the look on Odin’s face made the hollow dread deepen. 

The weak void of magic disappeared and in it’s place was a rose. Brown tinted the pink edges of the petals. With a shaky hand Odin picked it up. Odin knew this flower. He left it on his family’s memorial himself. There was no note attached but the message was as loud and clear as church bells. 

_ You can return this to your family the day you join them in the earth. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lucky number thirteen :)


	14. Chapter 14

Validar dreamed of making the perfect vessel ever since he first stumbled upon Grima’s name. He dreamed of a glorious future where the true god returned and the world was bathed and reborn anew in the flames and rot of Grima’s breath. It would be glorious. Validar was certainly talented in the dark magics and determined to a fault. He scoured ancient texts and rituals and after many, long years, Validar was able to hear Grima’s voice.

He had to contain his joy when Grima said the vessel would be one of Validar’s own children. 

Robin wasn’t the first child. Yvonne was. Validar was disappointed when Yvonne wasn’t the vessel that Lord Grima desired, but that didn't stop Vaildar. It didn’t stop Yvonne either. She was raised on the words of her father and Lord Grima and wanted to see Grima’s return come to pass as much as her father. Yvonne worked in the shadows whispering in people’s ears, casting curses and counterspells instead of battling on the front lines. But her work wasn’t enough. Had never been enough. 

It was the fault of those damned Ylissean royals and their Shepherds. The poor fool who had killed the previous Exalt and his family had been enhanced by her powers. It was regrettable he had been found and duly brought to justice, but it wasn’t unexpected. 

Yvonne passed through the doors of her cheap inn room in Ylisstol. The roof leaked and the mattress smelled like piss, but it was secluded enough for her purposes. She reached into the rough, burlap sack she had brought from the market and pulled out the supplies she had bought. Fragrant herbs and incense masked the more putrid smell of the room. Small gems and candles were placed in a circle on the floor. Yvonne drew the dagger at her belt, cut the pad of her finger, and began to weave a curse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like I've unintentionally set a schedule of updating every two weeks


	15. Chapter 15

“Well you’re a strange one.”   
  


A voice rang and echoed around Niles. He looked around. He was in a void. A swirling void of purple and black. A deep fog that seemed to stretch on for eternity. Niles’s eye fixed on a part of the fog that was swirling and twisting and soon, the form of a woman with long silvery hair and an almost regal air about her stood in front of Niles. 

“Who are you?,” he asked, narrowing his eye at her.

“I feel no need to tell you that,” she responded smoothly. She walked closer to him, seemingly floating on the fog. “But I do need to tell you that you are suddenly very important to me. The magic takes me where I need to go and it just so happens that it took me to you.”

“So what do you want with me then?,” Niles asked. The woman let out a chuckle that was both amused and cold as ice. 

“You’ve somehow found your way into the Exalt’s good graces. I want you to kill him for me.”

“Never,” Niles immediately responded, his anger at the woman for even suggesting that he would plain on his face. The woman simply chuckled again and reached her hand up to caress his face. It felt as insubstantial as a spring breeze. 

“Oh but you will.” Her lips upturned in a sadistic smile. And suddenly the fog and the mists of the void shot through him. His lungs were clogged as it greedily pushed into his nose and mouth. His vision was completely obscured. The only thing he could discern besides the void was the laughter. That woman’s joyful, raucous,  _ insane _ laughter.

Niles snapped awake.

A dream? No. Not exactly. He caught wisps of fog coming out of his nose and mouth every time he exhaled. And there was a pounding in his skull. Niles held his head in pain and groaned. The pounding strengthened and instincts overwhelmed him telling him to _kill kill_ _kill._

He stumbled out of bed and grabbed a dagger. Easily hiding it in his sleeve. His head continued to pound. His vision was blurred, but he walked. Niles didn’t quite know where he was walking to until he was at the doors to Odin’s chambers. 

_ No! _ Niles screamed inside his head, but the pounding just got louder, trying to snuff out the voice of his protests. 

Niles felt like a prisoner in his own body and watched as he pushed open the door and made his way deeper into the chambers where Odin lay. He pulled out the dagger from where it was concealed with a practiced motion. 

_ no no no no no NO NO NO NO  _

Niles watched as he raised the dagger over Odin’s sleeping form. Niles started to bring the dagger down in a deadly arc.

Niles desperately pushed against himself, using every last bit of his willpower to make himself stop. 

The dagger shifted in it’s trajectory. 

It plunged into Niles’s own side instead. He screamed out in pain. The sound immediately awoke Odin and he stared at Niles for a moment in shock before scrambling out of the covers to help his friend. Summoning his willpower again, Niles pulled away. His jaw strained against him as he forced it to move. 

“Bind me with magic. Quickly,” He gasped out. The strain on his voice was obvious. Luckily Odin didn’t ask questions. Their trust in each other was ingrained too deep to question each other at this moment. 

Niles felt magic curl around his wrists and ankles, binding him spread eagle to the floor. Odin would be safe for now. 

Once he was satisfied he could do no harm to his friend, Niles passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooooo drama


	16. Chapter 16

Odin did not go back to sleep that night. He thanked Naga for the paltry healing magic he was able to inherit from his mother as he tended to Niles’s wound. After the adrenaline and immediate danger passed, confusion settled in . Odin paced the room, gaze near constantly locked on Niles. Waking to his friend stabbed and bleeding over his bed wasn’t a pleasant sight. The raw fear in his eyes as he asked Odin to bind him was even more disturbing in some ways. Odin let his footsteps echo the turning of the gears in his mind as he tried to piece together what could possibly happen. He shot another long, appraising stare at Niles. Niles’s breathing had evened out, but signs of stress still marked him. Sweat beaded at his forehead and his mouth curled ever-so-slightly as if something had left a bad taste in his mouth. 

Even as Odin tried to keep himself calm and contained panic settled in. He could jump to conclusions on how Niles got to his bedside in the state he was in. 

Niles had all the answers. He shouldn’t be hasty.

Eventually golden light from the morning sun bled into the room. A soft groan came from Niles. Odin was at his side in an instant. Worry and relief overwhelmed his heart. Niles’s ocean blue eye blinked open. Niles stared glazidly at the ceiling before focusing in on Odin. 

“Odin,” Niles breathed, voice fuzzy with sleep and relief. “You’re okay.” The words caught Odin off guard for a moment and he sat blinking down at Niles for a moment or two before finding the words for a response in the fog of his brain. 

“My friend- you seem to be saying that a lot recently,” Odin responded, the words lamely tumbling out of his mouth. Niles chuckled softly. 

“Best not make me worry for your life so much then.” Odin’s brow scrunched up at Niles’s words. 

“I’m more worried about you. I awakened in the deep caverns of night to your cacophonous screams. What happened?” Niles flexed his wrists and ankl.es as if to make sure the magical bindings were still holding him down before he responded. 

“A mage wants you dead. A dark mage. A powerful one. She appeared in my dreams and gained some sort of control over my body. She was sending me to kill you,” Niles choked on the words. He took a moment to gather himself before continuing. “It was like I was a passenger in my own mind. I was lucky enough that I managed to divert the knife in time.” He glanced at the spot where the knife had entered. It was now a rosy pink scar, evidence of the healing magic used on it. 

Odin stared at Niles in shock. A chill ran down his spine, making him physically shiver. Controlling another is one of the darkest rituals that can be performed. Most texts on it have been destroyed. And even the ones that exist make it clear that only one with a fantastic amount of power can even put the barest amount of influence on a person, and that’s with the effects of blood magic temporarily increasing the potency of one’s magics.

With a wave of his hand, Odin dispelled the magical binding he put upon Niles. Niles felt them disappear instantly and sat bolt upright. Niles wrapped his hands around himself as if he didn’t trust them to be idly hanging by his sides. 

“What are you doing?,” Niles snapped. “Didn’t you listen to a single word I said?”

“I did,” Odin answered matter-of-factly. “In fact, I listened very carefully.” 

“Then why-?”

“We need to get to the library. Some of my magical tools are there and I’d rather see if I could trace the point of origin for the magic while you have your faculties intact.” 

After a second of deliberation, Niles nodded. 

“Alright, but if anything seems off about me. Don’t stop to hesitate before incapacitating me through any means.” Another chill ran through Odin as he realized what Niles was giving him permission to do. Odin shook his head. 

“It won’t come to that.”  _ Hopefully. _ His mind couldn’t help but drearily add.  _ Please Naga, let it not come to that.  _

Shakily, they both stood up from the ground and determinedly set their path from the room. There was much work to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken me a bit to update. Life has been a bit of a clusterfuck tbh. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for continuing to read. I love knowing that people enjoy my writing as much as I do.


	17. A/N

Going to be late with my next chapter! I'm writing a bunch in the hope I'll get some scholarships, but it leaves me pretty burned out so I'm going to take a non guilty break. I am dtermined to finish a multi-chap fic for once in my life so I'm determined to come back here. But for now, thank you so much for reading and enjoying this trip with me! <3


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